Hate and Fear
by VocalSynthesia
Summary: What if you realize that's it's not over yet? What if you thought it was all over and tried to pick up your life again, to find out death is near again? (Combined story of 'In Cold Blood' and 'Love and Lies') !COMPLETED!
1. Chapter 1

It was just one kiss.

That was enough to make her push her friend away and tears to start falling.

''Tia? Is everything alright? I...I'm sorry, I...''

Startled by what just happened, Subaru bent to Tia trying to hug her, but she  
was pushed away.

''Please...get away from me...I...''

It was the same feeling like back then which rushed through her chest. Panic. Sadness. No matter how much she had fought against it, she couldn''t stop him. She thought he loved her from the bottom of his heart. But that night, he used her. He did this to her like she was nothing, like she was weak, a piece of garbage. He tied her, ripped the clothes from her body. He did horrible things, beating and torturing her. And she was only seventeen.

Even now, when Tia''s best friend kissed her, all those feelings came back. She felt panicked, so she pushed Subaru away. A deep sadness made her tears fall.

She wanted to tell everything to the person she loved. But she couldn't. She didn't dare tell her. She was afraid that the one who raped her would kill her if he found out, or even worse: He could kill Subaru. She was told to be silent, speak to nobody of what happened to her.

''It's not that I don't love you...Or that I don't like you or...''

She looked nervous at her partner, and it almost freaked her out. Subaru''s blue hair hung down over her eyes, leaving her face in a dark shadow.

''W-what's wrong?... Subaru? I-''

Suddenly, Tia was pushed over and fell back in the sheets.

''Damn, Tia! How can I love you if you keep lying to me?!''

''What? What are you talking about? I didn't lie to you!''

''No, of course you didn't! You said that your virginity wasn't taken away by someone else, but see what happens now! And you don't call this lying?!''

''I...I didn't want to-''

''Oh please! You don't have to explain this to me. I'm out of here.''

Angry, Subaru got out of the bed, got dressed and took her weapon. She thought she could shot herself, she was just so angry at her. But she didn't. She grabbed her coat.

''Wait, Subaru!''

But Subaru just walked out the door slamming it shut behind her so hard, Tia was frightened.

* * *

One moment it was silent in the room.

Then the tears came. Frustrated and sad screams came from her throat as she cried. Tears wetted her nude body, making her feel cold and lonely, just like the time when her brother passed away. She didn't want to tell Subaru what happened to her a couple years ago.

She felt all the sadness she put away for her friends for years come up again. It started when she just had turned ten. She was sitting alone again at home, until she got an call from the police. There had something happen with her brother, but they didn't want to tell her what exactly was wrong. She was picked up by a police car and driven to the place.

There she saw something she never would forget. The place was on fire, blood on the walls and ground. Casings of bullets everywhere. Collapsed buildings, more blood. Dead bodies. She was taken to the place, everywhere police, and ambulance staff. When she recognized the body all the colour drained from her face, her eyes widened.

Her brother was lying in a pool of blood, covered with it all over his body. She had to wait until she had permission to see him.

Crying, she fell on her knees, right in the blood. She didn't care. She grabbed his cold, bloody hand, but he wasn't dead. She still felt a really weak pulse and cried even harder when he slowly half opened his eyes. He raised his hand slowly, laid it on her wet cheek.

''Onii-chan...Don't die...Please...Don't...''

''Tiana...It's okay...You have to...be strong...For our...family...Be...''

His hand slipped slowly away, resting in the blood. His eyes didn't close, he still had an weak smile on his face. For one moment Tiana was breathing heavily, then it stopped just for an second and she screamed out all she had. It even scared the ambulance staff and the police, but she didn''t care. She tried to kick them off when they took her away from him, but in the end she gave up and cried.

That feeling came back at this time. Frustrated she grabbed her sheets, but she couldn't hold it in anymore. With all she had she cried. She cried out her lover's name as hard as she could, until her lungs wouldn't give in anymore.

Panting, exhausted she sat naked in the cold bed and shivered. She realized she needed to clear her head if she was to think of what to do about Subaru. She got out of bed and dressed, deciding to go for a walk. She hesitated before picking up her weapon. It always reassurred her to have her gun with her.

As she was loading her gun she heard something from downstairs that sounded out of place. She clicked the bullet chamber into place and pulled the carriage once back and force on her weapon before she slowly opened the door and walked silent and careful downstairs.

With her gun in position she looked around. She still heard something, or actually someone walking in the room. She stopped.

_Silence._

She heard nothing but her own breathing and her heart pounding in her chest. Just when she thought that she had imagined it all she was grabbed at her shoulders. She knew who it was, even when she didn't see his face.

She turned around and shot. It missed. The wrist with the weapon was grabbed right after, so she pulled the trigger several times. But after a long struggle she lost and the weapon was smacked on the floor. She got a pull on her hair and felt the barrel against her cheek.

''If I want, I could kill you right now...''

''You wouldn't dare. Why the hell did you come back, bastard?!''

''To take revenge.''

He pressed the gun deep in her cheek, his finger on the trigger, ready to shoot her.

''Revenge? Why?'' Even now she stayed calm, but deep inside the panic came.

''On your last mission...You killed five people.''

''They wanted to kill me, so-''

''Shut up!'' He gave her a blow with the gun. Blood dripped slowly from the small cut over her cheek.

''I was talking to you, so you have to shut up! Those five...one of them was my father, another was my best friend, and the third one my sister. I will take revenge on you for killing them.''

He pushed her roughly forwards, pressing the gun in her back.

''You'll do what I say, or else...''

Tiana took a deep breath, started walking with him towards the city, still feeling the gun in her back.

_Please Subaru, be in time to save me!_

* * *

_...What is the thing I may not know? _Thought Subaru.

Walking across the streets, past shops and without a destination, Subaru was on the street until it became light. Even now she didn''t stop. Why did Tiana lie to her? She sighed, looked where she was and turned around, on her way back to the apartment.

She reached their apartment by mid morning. When she tried to open the door with the keys, she discovered a surprise: the door already was open. A cold shiver and a nervous feeling went through her body. This was not like Tiana to leave the door open like that.

With trembling hands she stepped inside. The living room was a mess. Chairs were pulled over, a bullet hole was in the wall and the worst of all: Tiana''s gun was just laying on the ground. Subaru kneeled and grabbed it.

Tiana''s gun seemed to have just been used. She looked for more bullet holes and found several others: Three in the couch and six in the walls. That meant there was another person here.

Subaru went room seems normal, but she didn't trust it. So she searched the whole closet and desk, until she suddenly found something. An old police report about aggravated sexual abuse was just laying under all of Tiana''s paperwork on her desk.

"What is this? It''s-" Her breath kept hanging in her throat. Her eyes flew over the pages and slowly filled with tears. The culprit was never caught, and they always thought he vanished forever. A photo was attached: One of Tiana, and one of the man. Bit by bit, Subaru realized why Tiana pushed her away, why she panicked. What sort of feelings went through her when she kissed her best friend? And she just walked away.

Thinking of the whole situation, she sat on her bed. She still didn't know what exactly happened to her, and why had Tiana left her gun? She knew she never would do that, unless someone else came in to the house, had a fight with her and Tia dropped her gun. She called one of her partners.

''Miyo? Subaru here. Did you see Tiana somewhere in the office today?''

''No, sorry. She didn''t show up all morning. We are still looking for her. Why? Did something happen?''

''Well...'' Subaru sighed. ''I found her weapon and several bullet holes in the living room. And I can't contact her, her phone is off. And...''

Subaru started thinking. Which place was Tia's most loved place to go? The beach. But it was too cold to swim now. An thought came in her mind. Tiana once said that she wanted to be on top of the highest building in city, to watch over it, to think she would protect it all. She stood up, she still had contact with Miyo.

''Subaru? Is something wrong?''

''Miyo, listen. I may know where Tiana is. Send an ambulance and a team to the highest building in the city.'' With that she broke the connection and went outside.

She started to run, she ran the lungs out of her body, but stopped when she saw a bunch of people in front of the building she was heading to.

''Move! Out of my way!''

Panic took over her mind. Was she too late?

* * *

One moment her heart stopped. She thought that she was too late. The first floor was horrible.

It was covered with people, some of them were dead, with their eyes wide open. Other were almost freaking out or sat on the floor, still trying to protect themselves. When one of them saw Subaru''s weapon in her holster he started to scream. Subaru motioned him to be quiet.

''Hey! Calm down! I'm from the police!''

''I don't believe you! Who says it's true?!''

''What? Why?''

''There came a man here dressed in a police uniform with a girl. Suddenly he start shooting on us!''

''What did the girl look like?''

''She had several wounds on her face, long orange hair and it seemed she was also a cop.''

''And the man?''

''Black short hair, red eyes, and a scar above his right eye.''

_Shit... That's him..._

''Which way did they go? To the roof?'' Only a nod was his answer before Subaru ran up the stairs, first looking for more victims. She found two women next to a desk. One was bleeding heavy, while the other was holding her hands on the wound.

''Keep pressing on the wound! Help is arriving as soon we can!''

Outside there were sounds of ambulances and people running around. In the meanwhile, the man was standing with Tiana on the roof. He slammed her face in to the wall, causing her to get a bleeding lip and nose. And again he did it. Tia fell on her knees, but he pulled her back on her hair.

''Let's wait until there comes help...Or wait...'' He played a bit with the gun, pressing it against her head.

''I want to kill you right now!''

''You son of a bitch! You don''t dare to shoot me, do you?!''

This was a wrong turn for her. He pointed the gun at her right leg and shot. At least two bullets slammed into her thigh and leg. She screamed it out in pain as the blood flowed from the wounds, the bullets crashed deep into her flesh. It hurt like hell.

''Shut it!'' Again she got a blow with his weapon, much harder this time. She coughed and spit out blood. An small stream still hung out of her mouth when she lifted her head up. The taste of blood was coppery and horrible. She always hated blood.

''Stop right there!'' The door which gave entrance to the stairs flew open. Tiana, who had given it all up, couldn't believe her eyes. In the middle of the doorway, she stood there. Subaru was panting, blood from some victims was smeared on her uniform. The dust in her eyes prickled and made it hard to see clear. But it seemed that she didn't care.

''I order you to drop your weapon right now!''

''Or else? Do you mind if I kill her first?''

Tiana shut her eyes when she felt the gun against her head, heard how it was loaded. He meant it. He was going to kill her.

''Wait!'' Subaru almost yelled it. She laid her gun on the ground and kicked it away. ''I won't shoot if you let her go now!''

Wrong turn. She heard a shot and the next moment she laid on the ground, whimpering in pain. The bullet hit in her stomach, but it didn''t go through her skin because she was wearing a bulletproof vest under her jacked. Still she felt the push of the bullet in her stomach. This was going to be a bruise again.

''Why should I believe you?! This bitch just needs to die after she killed a part of my family!''

''S-she did what? Tia?'' Wincing in the pain from the bullet she sat up on her knees. Her gun was just two meters away from her, but if she would try to grab it she was shot by him.

''Tell her!'' He pointed the gun again to her head. Tia swallowed. Now she had to tell it.

''O-on my last mission, when you weren''t there, I killed five people. Three of them were his family. I didn''t recognize them because they were wearing ski-masks!''

''I feel sorry for you. But, I found something between her paper works about what you did to her when she was seventeen. After you did that she ended up in the hospital and almost died of her injuries, afterwards she held on the trauma. So, you''re the one who needs to be arrested! You''re just sick to do that to a defenceless girl like her! To rape her, after torturing her... I know it all! You can''t go back now! Drop that weapon!''

''You're time is up!''

Tiana's life flashed before her eyes. All her memories came back. Her first shooting lesson with her brother, Subaru, her brother''s death and funeral, the rape, the many times in the hospital. Everything came back in her mind, just like a puzzle from her life. She heard a shot.

* * *

_Is this my end? Being killed as a criminal?_

Realizing it was not over, she opened her eyes. The grip around her neck loosened until his arm slipped away. With his eyes wide open and still a slice of anger on his face he fell backwards, into the depth.

Her eyes turned slowly to her friend. Subaru was still holding the gun up with one hand, laying half on her side before she crawled up to her feet.

Tiana was winching in pain, limping on her good foot to keep standing. Her right leg felt completely numb until now. Subaru saw it, walked to her before she collapsed and caught her in her arms, wrapping them around Tia.

''It''s over now. Everything is over. I know everything, He''s dead now.''

Her love kept crying in her chest, her heart flowed over with tears from sadness, fear, but also from relief that she was safe. She didn''t care about anything more at that moment than to be with her. For the first time since her brother died she felt safe, knowing that she didn''t have to protect him anymore.

When she finally calmed down a bit, Subaru carefully took her in her arms, lifting her up and wanted to carry her downstairs to the ambulance, but she was held up.

''Subaru?''

''Yes?''

''I...'' She gave a deep sigh. ''Never mind.'' The next moment time stopped. This is not their first kiss, but it is the first one in which they could truly feel for each other without the hidden pains and fears of the past... It stopped when Tiana groaned in pain. Her leg looked worse and it hurts like hell.

''I'll take you to the hospital. And... ''

''What?''

''I love you.''

One last kiss was shared before she was taken to the medic, hoping she would be alright.

_You don't have to worry anymore, Onii-chan. I'm safe now. Thank you for watching over me every day._

Through all the rain and sad weather an beautiful sun came through the sky, a sign of every little sad thing was vanished for a long time.

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* * *

**I want to thank everyone who reviewed this chapter. I also decided to combine my story because it's short. This will be chapter 01. Stay tuned for chapter 02 :)**


	2. Chapter 2

_**SIX MONTHS LATER**_

* * *

Through a window from the side I see the white flash of an ignition. I start to scream, but it is too late. The speed at which my world now changed is baffling. A shockwave from the explosion slammed into me, throwing me aside as glass shards rained down on me. While falling I see my partner disappear in a cloud of dust and debris while the door is taken out of its rods and flies through the alley and smacks against the wall across the street.

I lay on the ground, with a bitter taste of dust in my mouth.. I struggled to sit up on my knees as I feel blood on my cheek and dripping from my nose. I bring my hand to my head and feel a piece of glass which has penetrated into my scalp.

I scramble with difficulty and stagger to my feet. I even tend to fall, but still manage to keep my balance. My partner is lying motionless on the ground, on her back. I walk as fast as I can to her and kneel down. Her face is covered with small cuts.

"Subaru?"

I pull her blouse open, put my fingers on her neck until I hear a heartbeat. Her chest moved up and down with her quick shallow breathes.

"Subaru?" I call again. "Subaru, can you hear me?"

She blinks a few times with her eyes and turns them on me, and she tries to get up. But I push her back. Her lips are moving but no sound is coming. I do not know what she means and was slightly panicked when she keeps talking without sound.

I report that an officer is injured and stay with her, "I report that an officer is injured and stay with her, taking her hand and holding it tightly.)

'T-Tia ... I-I love ... y-you ... "With difficulty she squeezes the words out of her body before her eyes closed. Inside my head, something snapped. I had to find that bastard. He had ruined my life. When Subaru shot him on the roof of the skyscraper I thought everything was finally over.

But it was not.

He apparently has more helpers to kill me, even now when he was dead. In the distance sounded sirens of patrol cars and an ambulance, which approached quickly. The pain of glass shard began to penetrate as a thumping sound in my ears.

My vision started to decrease when I felt more pain in my body. With difficulty I looked down, and saw a piece of splintered wood had penetrated my midriff. I had felt nothing all this time. Blood flows from my mouth on my chin and chest while I slowly collapse next to my unconscious partner.

* * *

SUBARU'S POV

The sound swells and dies away again. It is stronger. The murmur of voices, sometimes close, sometimes further away. I open my eyes a bit, but immediately close them against the bright light.

"She's waking up."

An unknown voice fills my ears. I turn my head in the direction of the voice and breathe deeply. In the middle I stop abruptly. A twinge shrieks through my chest. Pain, terrible pain. I blink my eyes frantically to avoid and I sink into sleep again.

I feel that I am lying on my back, on a much too high pillow. This cannot be in our apartment, I have a low pillow there. Where am I? I feel the fog in my head slowly fade away. Slowly I open my eyes completely, fill them with sharp, bright light.

The pain in my chest slowly pulls away and I realize that I'm in a white room. Carefully I look around me. I see two nurses, but I cannot hear them. They talk to me, but my hearing is like a hammer rage in my head. I fight against it and slowly the thumping sound disappears.

"W-where am I?"

'Oh, you're awake .. You're in the hospital. You were brought here after a bomb went off. "

My vision cleared slowly. The blur disappear and gives way to bright, clear images.

"Can you remember anything?"

I thought, but the more I thought, the more my head ached. Carefully I shook my head.

"Am I harmed?"

"You've broken some ribs, and had a punctured lung, but you've already been under surgery. You had the luck that your partner called for help! And you've been in coma for two days."

"In coma? And where is my partner? Is she okay? Where is she? I need to see her!"

Silence

I hate it if no one answers your question. So I force myself out of bed under protest of the nurses and start walking through the halls. I walk along some small rooms, rooms with doctors everywhere, rooms with children, but no one with my partner. My chest hurts, but I try to ignore it.

Suddenly, my eye caught a small, white room at the end of the hall. The curtains are closed, the door is closed, at first I thought it was an empty one. I hear a nurse calling my name, that I mustn't open that door. But I have already touched it with my fingers, push the knob down and enter the room.

My eyes see an image I will never forget. Tears are welling up in my eyes, no matter how hard I fight to keep them away. The image before my eyes blurs, but I saw it long enough. My partner, my love, lays immovable in the big, white hospital bed. Her midriff is, as far I can see, covered with bandages.

I feel a hand on my shoulder, someone whispers something in my ear. But I don't hear it. I don't want to hear it at all. In my head, I see her pale face, filled with pain. I know she's sleeping, but I want her to wake up, I want to hold her. The pulling on my shoulder starts to irritate me so I turn around, looking a doctor in the face.

'She's sleeping. You should rest, too. You're forcing too much on your chest!'

I let out a sigh, before turning my head to the scene before me. 'Is she alright?'

'From the information I have, it seems she has a deep cut in her midriff, but it didn't hit her vital organs. Her life is out of danger, but it may take a few days for a full recover to her. The same for you. One of your bones punctured your right lung, as you maybe already heard. You've been under surgery for that. If you still feel pain in your chest after three weeks, then you should contact us.'

'Thank you...'

With that, I slowly head back to my room, lay down in the now cold bed and close my eyes, drifting away in a deep sleep.

* * *

UNKNOW DESTINATION

Heavy footsteps sound on a blood-covered floor. Fingers covered with the same liquid tapping on the metal-made weapon. Eyes are finding its way in the darkness, to the exit of this hell. His fingertips have already touched the door of the emergency exit when he heard other footsteps.

They stop right behind him, making him turn around. The last thing he sees, is the tip of a golden bullet before it crash in his forehead, killing him instantly. With a dull sound his body drops on the floor, eyes wide open, his finger still on the trigger of his gun, blood from his head staining his uniform. His killer is standing before his dead body, with a cold look in his eyes.

"You bastards are trying to get me and my gang, but I won't let you, not as long as I haven't killed her."

While picking up his phone and turning away from the dead officer, he walks away, along the other dead bodie which covered the floor with blood, before hiding in the shadows.

* * *

NORMAL POV

The orange-haired officer sat upright in bed, supported by pillows in her back. In her hands she held a cup of warm coffee, slowly sipping from it while a police report about some fled criminals was laying in her lap. It didn't really fascinate her since she wasn't ready to work the field again.

'It's been a few weeks now and I'm still in this damned hospital... First my time on crutches after that rooftop event, and now this... Ouch!'

Some irritating stitches shot through her midriff because the bandage moved. The wound was healing up well, but it still hurts when she made a single move so she got advice to stay in bed. She woke up out of her thoughts when someone knocked the door.

'Come in.'

'Afternoon, Tia!'

Subaru walked in the room, grabbed a chair and gave her a kiss before she sat down. Even though Tia told her she didn't have to visit her every day, still she did. It made her feel better, her partner said.

'So, anything happened today?'

'Well...' Subaru's face dropped the light smile. 'Do you know Jean-Paul?'

'From the homicide department? Yes, why?'

'He... was murdered two days ago. We can't find the culprit.'

'...Murdered?... Who would do such a thing like that?'

'I have no idea who, but we'll keep searching... What are you thinking about?'

Her partner's face froze, like her mind had completely turned OFF. Eyes stared nowhere, her body didn't move.

"Tia?..."

She regained ''consciousness'' and snapped her eyes open.

"Could it be the same man I saw before the explosion?!"

"That's possible..." Subaru's phone went off. "I have to go. I'll speak you tomorrow."

After a good-bye and a kiss she left. Tiana put the papers aside and laid down. Slowly, while thinking, she drifted away in sleep.

When she woke up she didn't know what time it was. Through the white see-through curtains for the window there wasn't even a spark of sunlight anymore, so it must be nighttime already.

she heard a sound that made her look away from the windows when she saw those eyes, causing her to freeze momentarily. Those eyes, full of hatred, stared at her.

'Hello, officer Lanster. Do you remember me?' The man spoke, while walking towards her bed. Tiana's lips were frozen; her body was frozen. Her mouth dry, but although she couldn't move herself, her hands were shaking. All color drained from her face when she saw the knife in his hand.

And he moved closer and closer... Until the knife flashed above his head, darting towards her chest.

* * *

NORMAL POV

The knife stopped right above her chest. It didn't pierce, it didn't give any pain. No blood flowed, absolutely(spelling) nothing. Only the tip of the sharp blade was pointing at ither chest, nothing more. He pulled away and looked at the girl. She wasn't worth killing so early. How old was she? 20, maybe 21?

A tiny, golden spark flashed somewhere. He looked at the hand, which was shaking heavy. A small golden ring was around one of her fingers. Was she married? At this age? It couldn't be... He took the small ring between two fingers and turned it round and round, but there was no date, not even a name!

'So, you're not married?' His voice was cold, emotionless. His hand grabbed her chin. Her eyes stood full of- what first was fear- raw hatred. His face made a grin while he dropped the knife.

'Let's meet again somewhere, officer!'

SLAM!

The door was shut behind him when he left with a grin on his face. Now he was gone, her voice came back. She trembled badly, tears came up and she cried without sound, until she fell asleep in thoughts it was just a dream.

'Morning, Tia! You don't believe what happened yesterday after I left! We-'

Silence.

Her friend was nowhere to be seen. Her bed was untouched, smoothed. The closet was - when she checked it- empty. The curtains were open, her weapon belt was gone.

Completely nothing.

'What the-' She walked outside and called a nurse. She told her that Tiana left early this morning.

'Why? She wasn't fully recovered, was she?'

'No.' The nurse shook her head. 'She wasn't at all. We don't have any idea why she'd leave so early. She seemed scared of something, though.'

"Any idea where she went?"

"Maybe home? But, I need to go care for other patients. Say hi from me, okay?"

'Tia, I'm home!' Subaru shouted through their house, just to make sure Tiana heard her.

'I'm upstairs! Ow...' She musn't shout or yell, or even talk loud because when she did, her chest hurt her. She turned when the door of their bedroom was opened.

'Hey! Tia, why did you leave? I was friggin' worried!'

'Sorry...' was the answer in a murmur. Subaru stared at her like she was naked.

'What?' The edge of her voice was sharp, surprising the woman before her once again.

'Tia, did something happen when I was gone? Was someone killed or something? Was there a bomb?' Subaru walked to the bed and sat next to her, looking at her.

'I-' She stopped mid-sentence. Almost she told her what happened last night. But she didn't want to. She didn't want to make Subaru worry even more. After all, she was the one who cared for her like she was the only one in the world for her. Those green eyes were staring through her soul like she could read her minds.

'It's nothing, I'm just a bit tired.'

'From what? Resting?'

Silence

'Never mind How did it go?'

'Did what go?'

The redhead sighed in slight irritation and face-palmed her.

'This is seriously unbelievable! I'm talking about that bomb-thing under the bank building! You got a call, right? When you visited me in the hospital! It was on the news a few hours later!'

'You mean that case? It didn't really work out as we thought... That bomb was the same type which nearly killed us. After we sealed it it started to... smell weird...'

'Smell? A gas leak?'

'That's what we thought, too. Until we came in the parking lot.'

Both women already sat down on the bed, but Subaru stood up, walking to the window which gave sight to the small backyard with grass and colorful flowers.

'First we found Jean-Paul. Killed with one bullet, through the head. The team couldn't recognize the weapon, I think it's an .22 but we still are waiting for the lab results.'

'A .22? The same type we use...'

'Yes. We found several more corpses, spread out over the parking lot. And all of them were killed in another way then Jean-Paul was. Their faces were kind of smashed, totally maimed so we couldn't recognize most of them.'

Subaru's face shaded, but Tiana didn't see it. A deadly silence fell over the room. Sunlight fell through the window, as the sun tried to cheer up the situation, but it didn't make any sense at all. The mood dropped to the lowest point there was.

'So...' Tiana broke the silence after minutes. 'Who do you think it is?'

'The patterns just aren't right. I mean, first we thought it was a crazy dude who tried to kill people with making bombs, right? And now we have the same type bombs and a serial killer in the profile.'

'It might be the same person? I mean, when I saw-' Shit! Now it's too late!

'Hm? Who did you see? In the hospital?'

"... Last night in the hospital when you had that bomb-case... I was threatened with a knife by a man

'You've been threatened?! And you didn't tell me?!'

'I didn't want to make you worry more about me...'

Subaru sighed deep. 'Sometimes you really confuse me, you know? And, by the way, what time is it? I'm starving!'

Subaru sighed deeply. "Sometimes you really confuse me, you know?"

She looked at Tia's downcast face, her orange bangs falling across her eyes, but Subaru knew they were filled with sadness and worry. A grumbling noise soundly filled the space between the two girls. Subaru scratched the back of her head and smiled awkwardly as her cheeks turned a slight shade of pink.

"Hey, what time is it anyway? I'm starving!"

'It's just 11:25 am! Why are you always hungry, you idiot?!'

* * *

**_TIANA'S POV_**

With a yawn I wake up. The place next to me feels empty and cold, so Subaru is already up. I slip out of bed and get dressed, careful not to move the bandages around the wound. When I'm finished I go downstairs, greet my partner and make breakfast. Toast with water and my medicine to heal up the wound faster.

'Hey Tia, I didn't tell you about this, right?'

'About what?' I murmur with my mouth stuffed with toast, so crumbs are spraying around the table.

'Don't speak with your mouth full! I already showered, you know? And that was with water and soap, NOT with toast!'

'Sorry, sorry... What do you want to tell me? Something from the paper?' I ask, while wiping my mouth and sip my water.

'Where is it... Ah, here! Looks like they caught someone who was walking around at the parking lot which we sealed that day, and they thought he was a suspect so the team arrested him. And they already have a name: Mikane. That's his last name.'

I choke on my drink, so now it almost sprays over the table and our breakfast.

'Whoa, is everything alright?' Subaru laughs at me, but I shake my head. And that's not the only thing that shakes; my whole body shakes from fear, anger. I see her smile drop and the next moment I feel strong arms around me. They give me the comfort I need.

'What's wrong? Do you know that name?'

'That's... That's _his _name... He...'

'You mean... The guy I shot back then?'

I nod slowly, then grab the paper and read the whole article, then put the paper away and stand up.

'Could it be that he has a brother? A twin, maybe? Anyway, we're late! Let's hurry.'

Subaru nods, but I see that she didn't really agree with my decision to do nothing with it.

* * *

**_NORMAL POV_**

'Are you sure you want to interrogate him? I mean, we KNOW now that he's his brother, but still...'

'I'm not a child anymore. I can do this myself, okay?'

'Tia, you already know that there was a connection with this case and the murder of your brother. Be careful with your words.'

'I will.' With that, she stepped inside the interrogation room and shut the door. Subaru watched from behind the large window and listened to her. She hoped that Tiana wouldn't break; she knew about her past and the connection between her brother and her stalker.

'So, do you know why you are here?' The officer said, while sitting down and looking through some papers.

'I think I can ask that to _you_, officer Lanster.'

'Why?' She rose an eyebrow in confusion, folded her hands and rested her chin on them, leaning forward. She saw the look in his eyes; it was like he laughed from inside to her, but his face gave her an ice-cold look.

'Do you remember that little ''accident'' a few years back then?'

'What do you mean with that?' She spoke with a voice trying to keep it as steady she could, but it was shaking. She knew about what he was talking. Her brother's death.

'Poor you... Have you already forgotten? Your brother-'

'I STILL KNOW! Don't confront me with that again, bastard!' She couldn't control herself anymore.

'WHO killed him? And why? What did he do wrong? And I, was it really necessary to leave me alone by killing him?!'

'He was worthless. Just like you.'

The blood drained from her restrained face. Her eyes glowed from anger and hate, her body shakes almost uncontrollable. It was like she almost could suffocate in her own pent-up anger. Subaru saw it, too.

'Shouldn't we stop this?' She asked to a colleague next to her, but he shook his head.

'If she can hold out a little longer, he may tell us why he was around the crime scene.'

'Can't you see what's going on?! He's confronting her with her past! He's taking her whole family through the mud as if it's nothing!'

'Of course, but we need as much information about it to continue this investigation, otherwise we have to release him.'

In the meantime, the grin didn't drop from Mikane's face. He was just making her angrier and angrier, until she broke. He was trying to let her feel just like he did when he heard his brother was dead, killed by an officer.

Tiana was at her point of breaking, bursting out in anger towards him. But she didn't. Instead of hitting him in his face she stood up, took her papers with her, turned around and slammed the door shut behind her. Tears welled up in her eyes, from anger, and from the pain he caused in her by talking about her family like that.

'That bastard! Who does he think he is?!...' She said to herself while wiping away her tears.

'Are you okay?' Subaru came to her while her colleague went inside the interrogation room. Tiana calmed down a bit while her girlfriend hugged her and took her to their desks. There she got a cup of water to calm down, but she was still shaking so she couldn't drink it at all.

'We have to release him. We don't have enough evidence to keep him here any longer.'

'But-'

'Tia, I know that he was involved with your brother's murder, but you can't change what happened back then. You need to get over it.'

'Fine... But I still refuse to let him go. He was the one I saw before the explosion which almost killed both of us, and you and your team saw him at the parking lot...'

Their colleague walked past them with Mikane in front of him, leading him to the exit. It could be just Tiana's imagination, but it was like his lips whispered something to them both.

Something they couldn't understand.


	3. Chapter 3

**_Tiana's POV_**

It is light.

Patterns of white, black and grey are coming back in my face, but I don't manage to distinguish the details. I breathe, and again, and again. My consciousness comes slipping and waving to me, like a car which is about to crash. I have a sick feeling in my stomach and think I have to throw up. My hand touches my gun in my holster, but... My gun isn't even here. I try to recognize where I am, but due the darkness, although my sight is clear now, I can't see a thing.

I notice that my jacket is thicker than normal. Careful, I grab the zipper and pull it downwards, so my blouse is visible. The briquettes explosives are placed in a row of bags on my chest. The whole blouse is surrounded by wires, which come together in a small box right above my heart. Under the explosives are bags with nails and sharp pieces of metal sewed on my cloth. The middle of all is formed by a cylinder of glass with something in it what looks like hydrargyrum.

I don't need to be an expert to know what happens when I move too rough. Careful, I stand up. Where the hell am I? I only know that that bastard Mikane took me down, and now I'm here with a bomb on my chest. It is still so dark here, this must be some basement, maybe I'm under a building?

I can't get out, so I try to study the bomb. If you cut one wrong wire it goes boom. If you move to rough, it goes boom, too. I don't feel under my blouse, I'm too afraid to cut something and kill myself. So I just sit and wait, closing my jacket to protect me from the icy cold.

I start to fall asleep when I hear something, or someone against the door of the basement. Every blow rumbles through the space and it scares me a bit.

''Hey! Who is there? Answer me!'' A familiar voice yells from outside to me and my heart skips a beat.

''Subaru! I'm in here! But-...'' Just before I can tell her, the door flies open and with a scream my girlfriend staggers inside the basement. As soon she is back on her feet she run to me.

**_NORMAL POV_**

''No! Don't touch me! Stay away!'' Subaru stopped in her run and looked at her in shock when Tiana slowly opened her jacket.

''I'm a living bomb now.''

''We have to deactivate it!'' Subaru sank to her knees, studying the bomb. It was the same type which almost killed them both a few weeks ago. Almost every wire surrounded the white blouse, but two wires were going under it.

''Tia, maybe I know how to deactivate it. Let me try something.'' Subaru slowly opened the blouse, careful to not to snap a wire, and saw that the last two wires were attached to her skin with tape. She followed the wires with her eyes, and just when she had her solution, the small box above the heart snapped open, revealing the two wires inside... And a timer.

''Tia, don't move.''

10

Tiana nodded.

9

Subaru placed her hands around the two wires and pulled them up a little bit.

8

''Subaru! Wait, what are you going to do?!'' (7)

6

Subaru closed her eyes. ''Tia, if it won't work...''

5

''I'm sorry if we die. Then it's my fault.''

4

''Don't blame yourself now! Just snap the wires!''

3

Subaru pulled with all her strength.

2

Both of them closed their eyes.

1

The wires snapped.


	4. Chapter 4

**_Silence_**

Both waited for the flash of the ignition, the sound and heat of the killing explosion. Subaru still held the two broken wires in her hand, Tiana was about to faint.

Several minutes passed. Still nothing happened. Subaru let go of the wires and slowly started to remove the bomb from the girl before her. When it was done, Tiana began to cry. Subaru hugged her, let her rest her head on her shoulder.

''Damn, I thought that thing was going to explode.''

''Yeah, but how come it didn't?''

''Let me answer that'' A familiar voice surrounded their ears and both turned their heads to it. Hatred welled up in both their eyes. Mikane was standing in there, with a remote in his hand, his thumb above the red button.

''What about see both of you in hell?'' His thumb was above the button, ready to press it. This gave them a chance to escape. Both crawled up, dashed past him, out of the cellar. The door wasn't locked and it slammed open while they began to run for their lives.

Both ran, while he pressed the button and threw the remote behind him. In the basement, the beeping rang in his ears. The beeping became louder and louder.

His scream lost in the sound of the explosion which killed him, followed by a heat wave. The girls ran and heard the building collapse above them. Parts of the ceiling behind them came down, smoke started to cover it. The heat behind them became abhorrent, it was like the floor under their feet began to melt away. Due the pressure, windows began to break, smoke came in their lungs, tears in their eyes. Before the smoke almost covered their sight, they saw the large glass window appearing before them. And they jumped.

Shards of glass pierced their arms and chest. The world behind them turned yellow, red and orange. An incredible heat wave flew behind their backs. The floors above them collapsed with enormous rumble together. Tiana landed on her feet and felt the force in her knees, rolled away while covering her head. Subaru ended behind a container. Several screams sounded from the people who watched as the building completely collapsed. Sirens from police cars and ambulances sounded through all of it. When it finally faded away, a loud beeping tone was the first thing Tia heard in her ears. Then silence, followed by screams and sirens. A car with a SWAT-team came in. Women and men got out, walking inside the building to search for any survivors, or, in the worst case, Mikane.

Subaru already stood again, now walking to her, slowly. Tiana didn't speak. She just stared at the building they just escaped.

''Tia? It's over, we can go.''

''It isn't.''

Silence.

''What? He's dead, it's over!''

''He isn't.'' She said, while standing up. ''When I sat there waiting for you, I noticed some sort of hatch in the floor. What if he managed to escape and faked his death?''

''Then...''

Subaru thought, while Tiana walked over to a member of the SWAT-team. After a short discussion she got a bullet-free vest. Out of the car she got a riffle, and loaded it.

''Wait! What are you're going to do?!''

''I'm going to catch him.''

Then, in the distance, a car was heard. Tiana hurried to the place where she heard it. She saw a black car, coming out of a parking lot. Inside, Mikane was sitting, his face covered with blood, his hands bloody. Tia threw herself against a pillar and rested the end of the gun on her shoulder, aiming. She closed one eye, her finger on the trigger.

The car went further and further, he didn't notice a thing, thought that he would disappear.

''You won't get away!'' With that, she pulled the trigger. The weapon shot back against her shoulder. A small flame of the ignition came out of the barrel, then the bullet. The car went in a curve to the right to leave the city, that was a mistake. The bullet smashed the window in the side, and crashed in his head. Blood covered the window and the car crashed against a tree.

For just a moment it was silent. Then the engine exploded. A cloud of orange, yellow and red covered the car, to cover it in flames and smoke after. Tiana slowly dropped the gun and rested against the pillar. She didn't want to be a murderer. But she killed him. It started to rain cats and dogs. Slowly, she closed her eyes and breathed deep. Then she walked to the middle of the street. A warm hand was placed on her shoulder.

''It's over.''

''Did you kill him...?''

Just a small nod was the answer to Subaru, before she looked at the crashed car. They could still just make out his body as smoke billowed out the car.

''It's over, Tia. He won't hurt anyone anymore. It's all over. Every hate and fear, no matter how much it was, it all disappeared now.''

With these words they watched the burning car as the sun began to set.


End file.
